Creating a Hero
Creating a Hero is more than just thinking up a bunch of powers. A Hero is someone destined for greatness, destined to go beyond the limits of mortality; to ascend beyond the Ordinary and become Super Heroic. This page hopes to offer a guide and some helpful tips in the character creation process to get you started. Superhero D&D is based on 5th Edition D&D, and so if you are unfamiliar it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with at least these D&D 5e concepts before continuing: * Ability Scores * Hit Points and hit-dice * Armor Class (AC) * Proficiencies and Proficiency Bonus This guide will refer to these concepts when discussing the strength of characters, from commoners to heroes to superheroes. What is a Superhero? Before you go about making one, it might be helpful to understand what exactly a "Superhero" is considered to be in this setting. Generally speaking a Superhero is anyone who can do the seemingly impossible, push past the boundaries of physical and mental limitations, and take on challenges and foes that no ordinary person could ever hope to defeat. In order to decide what is "Superheroic", however, we need to first know what is "Ordinary." Attributes of the Ordinary Ordinary can mean very different things to different races and species, but for the sake of having a point of comparison, we will use an ordinary human being. A human being with no special training, of average fitness and mental capability, could be represented as a character with all their Ability Scores at 10 (+0), meaning Ordinary. Humans typically have a Vitality of somewhere between Vitality 1 (equivalent to 1st level D&D characters) and Vitality 5 (equivalent to 5th level D&D characters.) This is dependant on their age and levels of training. Their hit-dice size is Average (d6), but in rare cases may be Weak (d4) or Strong (d8). They have an average AC of 10. (Unarmored AC = 10 + Dexterity modifier, which is usually 0.) From there you can consider a person who has trained (but not professionally) to have Ability Scores around a 12 (+1), meaning Unremarkable. Typical physical condition might peak at around a 15 (+2) for Remarkable individuals, or 16 (+3) in very Exceptional cases. Mental capacity tends to exhibit greater potential, for example a world-renowned super genius may be able to reach a score of 20 (+5) Intelligence as their absolute maximum. Vitality generally improves over the course of a person's life, with children being considered Weak (d4) Vitality 1 characters, meaning they would have 4 hit-points. If a human develops normally, at maturity they would reach Average (d6) Vitality 1 and have 6 hit points. A human who exercises well and keeps healthy may reach Vitality 2, and elite-level athletes or soldiers may reach Vitality 3, 4 or even 5 in the most extreme cases. Hit Points can range anywhere from 10 to around 26. Beyond this, humans also specialise in their fields and may become Proficient (+2) in a number of skills, or even progress beyond to become an Expert (+4) or Master (+6). This describes characters who are better at specific tasks without achieving Exceptional levels in Ability Scores. To create an ordinary character, consult the guideline laid out on the Ordinary Characters page for your chosen race. What Makes a Superhero? Put simply, a Superhero is anyone for whom the limits listed above represent only the beginning of their potential. Beings who - whether through Science, Biology, or Magic - are capable of superhuman feats. Superheroes do the impossible. A human being with exceptional intelligence may create a piece of Technology that allows them to go far beyond their limits. A Biological mutation may increase their attributes to unimaginable heights, or an unknown power of Mystic origin may give them untold power. Beyond humanity, other races and species may exhibit far greater potential, or even just in their default state be capable of superhuman feats. These are the Natural Heroes. Superheroes will have more hit points and higher AC, surviving extreme punishment; higher Ability Scores, achieving the impossible; and access to a plethora of powerful abilities, giving them a fighting chance against a universe-worth of threats. Who Are You? But before you start worrying about what powers you have, it is important to first think about who ''your character is. A Superhero more than just a power - they are usually somebody with an intense passion and belief in either themselves or a cause. This belief drives the foundation of their character, their motivations and their goals, and it can often help you decide the most appropriate powers for them to discover. You first focus should be who your character is and what their life was like before they discovered a power. What are their interests, passions, goals? What are their hindrances and flaws? If your character is a Human (or equivalent), try making an Ordinary character stat block. To do this, assign Ability Scores generally around the 10-11 average, and for every 12, assign an 8. Alternatively, look up a D&D "Point Buy" calculator and try to assign stats with a "total points" of no higher than 13. This can give you an idea of your character's traits as an Ordinary person; maybe they are strong but a little dumb, or wise but not very agile. How does this effect their life? Once your character discovers a power and becomes a Hero, will this exaggerate their current traits, or invert them? '''Example' Consider Dr. Strange and The Incredible Hulk. Both are incredibly high Intelligence characters, with both of them probably in the Exceptional or above range (16+). One becomes a Sorcerer, the other becomes a rampaging Hulk. Dr. Strange has high Intelligence but low Wisdom, representing his extreme memory and skill but showing his arrogance and lack of insight into the people in his life. When he comes a Sorcerer, his Intelligence aspect is exaggerated, allowing him to understand even high-level texts and spells that even more advanced students cannot. This either means his Intelligence was already near maximum, or his Sorcerer study pushed him close to it. He trains in some martial ability, improving his very poor Dexterity, Strength, and Constitution, but he never becomes even Remarkable in any of these aspects. Instead relying on his cunning - his Intelligence - to win battles. He does, however, improve his Wisdom considerably over the course of his spiritual journey. Bruce Banner on the other hand, while starting off in a similar position as a highly intelligent scientist, instead has the opposite outcome of his power: He transforms into an indescribably strong being, with Strength, Constitution and Dexterity scores soaring into the realms of the Incredible (above 20), but his Intelligence, Charisma and especially his Wisdom plummet. I might even go so far as to say that the Hulk has a Wisdom score of 1 (-5). What Are You? Now for the most fun part, powers. What can your hero do? How do they find their power? How much control do they have? You can begin by looking at Hero Archetypes, which gives an overview of the broad categories of Superhero (Natural, Tech, Bio, Mystic) and the general rules by which they operate. Each type has different strengths and weaknesses, so think about what kind of play style you might enjoy and what you think suits your character. Some heroes are an ordinary person with an extraordinary secret, other heroes are completely transformed into something entirely new, and many lie somewhere along that spectrum. Consider all of the implications of your character - D&D isn't just about combat. A heavily mutated character is going to be very powerful, but may struggle to find allies, and may even have to live in hiding if fear or adulation provokes violence. Most superheroes have a disguise for a reason. Once you have a backstory, a character and an archetype, it's time to build your Class. This is the most interesting part of Superhero D&D - there are no predefined classes. Every Superhero is unique, and their specific blend of powers are never truly replicated, though some heroes will have similarities. You can find inspiration for the mechanics of your class in the guides for Powers, Equipment and Abilities, but you are also encouraged to design specific and unique abilities for your Hero with your DM's help.